What are the symbolic parallels between the story of how Armpit got his nickname and how Armpit's life changed as the result of the encounter over the popcorn that landed him in the correctional center? Consider the fact that a scorpion's sting contains a kind of venom, or poison, that can have long-lasting effects on the person stung.

Identify the various parallels, literal and metaphorical, between Ginny and Kaira. What do they have in common? How do those commonalities manifest and reflect on their respective relationships with Armpit?

Why do you think Ginny's stuffed animals each have some kind of disability? What parallel is there, do you think, between the disabilities of the animals and Armpit's situation? In what way is Armpit "handicapped?"

Discuss the ways in which the lyrics from Kaira's songs ("Quotes," p. 80 and 116, as well as Chapters 28 and 36) reflect what's going...